


Volunteer Work

by NemoTheSurvivor



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Let's Chill (Marriage), Pharmercy, Pharmercy Week 2018, Soup Kitchens, day three
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-21
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2019-06-29 23:29:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15739509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NemoTheSurvivor/pseuds/NemoTheSurvivor
Summary: Fareeha and Angela spend a day volunteering at a soup kitchen.





	Volunteer Work

**Author's Note:**

> Story written for Pharmercy Week 2018, Day 3: Let's Chill (Marriage).

Angela's hand snapped to her phone as it woke her from her sleep. The phone's alarm woke her, not a call. Sighing, Angela attempted to sit up, but felt Fareeha's arms keep her pinned down. "Fareehali," Angela said softly, "we need to get up." Fareeha didn't respond, still asleep. Angela gently slipped between Fareeha's arms and stood up. The light of the streetlamps shone through the cracks in the curtain. "Fareehali," Angela said, shaking the sleeping woman. No response. "Fareehali." Again, nothing. Angela sighed, until she noticed the smile on Fareeha's lips; Fareeha was fishing for a kiss with her best Sleeping Beauty impression. An idea formed in Angela's mind, and she grinned mischievously. Angela gently put her hands on Fareeha's shoulders, slowly leaned in until their lips were about to touch, then shoved as hard as she could.

With a cry, Fareeha rolled out of the bed. "Angela!" she exclaimed, sitting up and peering at Angela.

"Hush, käferchen," Angela said, still grinning. "People are trying to sleep."

Fareeha huffed, then got to her feet. "You didn't have to shove me."

"We have a busy day ahead of us," Angela said as she started opened up the suitcase. "You appeared to be in a deep sleep, so I took drastic measures." Fareeha mumbled a response. "What was that?"

"Thank you for waking me up," Fareeha said. Angela flashed Fareeha an impish smile.

With both women awake, they set about getting ready for the day ahead of them. They both showered, dressed–Fareeha in a blue shirt and jeans and Angela in a yellow long-sleeve shirt and black jeans–and put on their coats, then walked out the door.

The sun still sat below the horizon, the path lit by streetlamps. Fareeha and Angela walked down the road, the chilled air visible with every breath. "I thought you said it was going to be warm," Fareeha said, hands tucked into her leather jacket's pockets.

"It is warm, compared to winter," Angela replied. "Besides, it'll warm up when the sun comes out."

Fareeha hummed in agreement. "I find it hard to believe you wanted to start our honeymoon with volunteer work," she said.

"Do you really?" Angela asked, a curious smirk emerging on her face.

"Well," Fareeha said with a shrug, "not really. But I find it hard to believe you convinced me this was a good idea."

"Do you?" Angela asked again.

Fareeha looked down at Angela. "No."

Angela leaned in, sharing a kiss with her wife as she linked her arm with Fareeha's. "Thank you for doing this. It means a lot to me."

"I know," Fareeha said.

Fareeha and Angela reached their destination, a small soup kitchen at the edge of the city. Inside, four rows of tables filled the center of the room, with what looked like a buffet line in the back, with a window and door to the kitchen on the back wall. As Angela and Fareeha walked towards the kitchen, an older woman stacking plates and utensils at the beginning of the buffet line spotted them. "Angela!" the woman exclaimed in German, her glasses bouncing in excitement. "I'm so glad you could make it."

"So am I," Angela said, also in German, releasing Fareeha and hugging the woman. "Madame Ramona, this is my wife, Fareeha Amari-Zeigler." In English, she said, "Fareehali, this is Madame Ramona. She runs the soup kitchen."

"It's nice to meet you," Fareeha said in German, extending her hand.

Madame Ramona pulled Fareeha into a hug and said, "Fareeha, is it? Angela always had an eye for beauty."

"Thank you," Fareeha said, her voiced strained as she was near strangled by Madame Ramona.

Madame Ramona released Fareeha and said, "I hope you two are ready to work."

"Of course, Madame Ramona," Angela said.

"You two will be manning the buffet line today," Madame Ramona said. "Go put on your gear and get ready. We open in less than an hour." She dismissed Angela with a wave before going back to stacking silverware.

"You've been here before?" Fareeha asked.

"I spent many hours volunteering here," Angela replied, taking Fareeha's hand and leading her behind the center tables. "It's a shame that a soup kitchen is still necessary, but seeing all these people here reminds me that there are still good people left in the world." Angela reached into a box and pulled out two aprons. "Here," Angela said, throwing an apron to Fareeha before putting the other on. She then reached into another box and pulled out a couple of hair nets and a box of disposable gloves. "Can't forget the hat and gloves. Did you read the handbook?"

"I did," Fareeha said as she slipped the hair net on. "Seems simple enough."

"It is," Angela said, "but if you need a reminder, just ask."

* * *

For several hours, Angela and Fareeha made idle chatter with one another as they manned the line. While some of the patrons were homeless, others were families that didn't have enough money for groceries. Most of the people passed through the line with barely a peep. Occasionally, people recognized Angela and said hello. Angela always responded cheerfully, despite the reminder that these people were still coming to the soup kitchen after so many years. Only one person seemed to recognize Fareeha; a young boy, no older than eight, never once took his eyes off her, even as his mother chided him for staring. Fareeha gave him a small wave before the child sat down to eat.

As lunch time rolled around, the volunteers took staggered lunch breaks. And after most of the other volunteers had eaten, Fareeha and Angela switched with some people in the kitchen and headed a couple blocks into the city to a small sandwich shop. They sat outside, under the cold sun, and took a moment to rest their feet. "You used to do this often?" Fareeha asked.

"Yes," Angela answered. "I didn't really have much in the ways of hobbies, since I was always studying or working on the Valkyrie armor, so Torbjörn suggested that I do some volunteer work to get some time outside. Once I moved to Zürich, I decided to become a regular volunteer for Madame Ramona. She's the first to know when I'm coming to town."

"So, what you're saying is that you would do this for fun," Fareeha said.

"I do gain plenty of satisfaction from helping others," Angela said, "so you certainly could say I volunteer for fun. What of it?"

"Then perhaps we should volunteer more," Fareeha said. Angela gaped slightly as Fareeha smirked and said, "I might be starting to enjoy this too. It's nice to help others without the need for high explosives."

Angela laughed. "Well, if you're going to twist my arm about it, how about you find somewhere to volunteer next time?"

"Maybe I will," Fareeha said.

The lone employee working at the shop set a tray a food down on the table. Angela thanked the employee before picking up her sandwich. "Thank you for coming out here with me, käferchen," she said.

"I must admit, I had my doubts when you decided we should volunteer at a soup kitchen," Fareeha said after taking a bite of her sandwich, "but I'm glad I trusted you." Angela smiled. For a moment, the two shared a content silence as they ate.

After eating, Angela and Fareeha walked back towards the soup kitchen. As they got closer, a boy wearing a bunch of blue cardboard ran into the soup kitchen, several kids behind him. "How odd," Angela said. "Why would anyone be wearing a bunch of-" She stopped mid-sentence. "Do you think-"

"I do," Fareeha said. The two increased their pace, knowing who the boy was looking for.

Inside the soup kitchen, the boy looked around eagerly. His shoulders dropped upon seeing the people behind the buffet line. As he turned to leave, he bumped into Fareeha. "Pardon me," Fareeha said as the boy took a step back, a large smile growing on his face, "but are you looking for me?"

The boy stood there for a second, dumbfounded. His friends gaped, recognizing Fareeha. "Uh," the boy muttered. He cleared his throat, stood up straight, and asked in German, "Are you Fareeha Amari?"

"I am," Fareeha replied in kind. "I take it you're a fan?"

"The biggest!" the boy yelled. "I even made some armor like yours!"

"I can see that," Fareeha said. "I think it looks great."

The boy beamed. The children behind the boy muttered to each other. An older girl whispered something to the boy. "Do you, uh," the boy asked, "do you have any cool stories to tell?"

"Plenty," Fareeha said, "though I think I only have time for one."

"I'd say you have time for more than that," Madame Ramona said from behind Fareeha and Angela.

Fareeha jumped and spun, but Angela didn't even flinch. "What do you mean?" Fareeha asked.

"We'll be fine," Madame Ramona said. "You're their role model, so you might as well act like it."

Fareeha nodded. She sat down at a table in the corner, the kids quickly filling the seats around her. "Who wants to hear about that time I punched a cowboy?" Fareeha asked. The kids all nodded their heads and leaned in closer.

"You picked a keeper," Madame Ramona said as she walked back towards the kitchen. "But enough sentimental stuff. The line needs relieving."

Angela laughed as she said, "Of course, Madame Ramona."

* * *

Angela opened the door to the hotel room, tossing her key on the dresser before flopping onto the bed. "Fareehali, I'm exhausted," she said, her voice muffled by the bed.

"Good exhausted or bad exhausted?" Fareeha asked as she locked the door.

"Good exhausted," Angela said. Fareeha leaned over rubbed her wife's shoulders. "What about you, Fareehali?" Angela asked as she turned her head towards Fareeha. "How're you doing?"

"Those kids couldn't get enough of me," Fareeha said. She gave Angela a small pat on the back. "I missed it. The small things, that is."

Angela smiled as she forced herself onto her feet. "So, you enjoy volunteer work."

"I have to admit," Fareeha said as she started to undress, "it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Though I do think spending the rest of our honeymoon at the resort will be just as good."

Angela laughed. "A couple days of relaxing massages does sound wonderful." As she took her clothes off, she tossed them at Fareeha. Fareeha said nothing as she caught the clothes and set them by the suitcase. "Thank you for today."

"What can I say?" Fareeha asked. She pulled Angela into a hug and kissed her forehead. "I married the woman with the biggest heart in the world, so why would I expect anything different?"

"Käferchen," Angela said, blushing. The two remained still for a moment. "Uh, Fareehali," Angela said.

"Hmm?" Fareeha asked.

"We can cuddle in the bed."

"Oh, uh, right," Fareeha said. The two slipped into bed, Fareeha behind Angela as the former wrapped her arms around the latter. "Good night, Angela."

"Good night, Fareehali."

**Author's Note:**

> Tranlsations:
> 
> Fareehali: Swiss-Germans add -li to the end of names to show affection. While Mercy speaks German and not Swiss-German, I found the idea too novel to pass up.
> 
> käferchen: little beetle


End file.
